Prince Rupert Port Expansion

[WettCoast]

The container port in Rupert received 3 big cranes today, as seen in these linked photos. www.cbc.ca/photogallery/fullscreen.html?dataPath=/photogallery/regions/bc/gallery_663/xml/gallery_663.xml&startImage=10

for more check out this...
www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/08/21/bc-cranes.html

[Coastal Drought]

I already read the news report. I heard from somewhere that it may overtake Vancouver.

[stvfishy]

As I understand it:

Seattle, until ~5-10 years ago, was the main terminus(~65-80%) for container goods heading to Eastern Canada. So for example, a container heading to Toronto would be offloaded in Seattle then shipped by rail to Chicago/Detroit by BN, then transferred to CN/CP and then to TO.

After Seattle, Vancouver was the next stop for container ships.
Delta port next to Tsawwassen, was supposed add capacity to compete with Seattle. I heard at least one shipping company(I think it was COSCO-Chinese Orient Shipping COmpany) committed to Delta port being thier first stop. I would be curious to hear if anyone can update the competive #'s for containers heading to Vancouver vs Seattle?

Now, with Prince Rupert being the Orient's closest North American container terminus with a major railway connection (CN), it will interesting to see how much of a competitive advantage this will give them shipping to the rest of Canada and possibly US destinations.

rover239 said:

...I heard from somewhere that it may overtake Vancouver.

I can't see the Port of PR overtaking Vancouver. I hear that PR winters can be quite nasty, you think Vancouver gets rain . There is probably more Canadian container capacity to take away from Seattle. I also believe the port of PR's other export Termini are slumping. The Alberta Wheat Pool (in their present affiliation) has talked about pulling out. The Coal and Sulphur terminals are also having a tough go - as I understand from afar.


(Please feel free to update my #'s - timelines)